Case Number 24731: Small Claims Court

PRODUCED BY GEORGE MARTIN (BLU-RAY)

The Charge

In My Life...

The Case

Sir George Martin, one of the most influential and important music producers
of all time, will always be irretrievably linked to the biggest pop culture
phenomenon in the history of modern media. The rest of his amazing resume -- his
work with British comedy icons The Goons, his leadership of afterthought EMI
label Parlophone -- mean very little when compared to his guidance and
glittering output as part of that little band from Liverpool known as The
Beatles. Luckily, the new documentary on the aging icon avoids much of the Fab
Four accolades to concentrate on life before and after John, Paul, George, and
Ringo. Yes, the last remaining members of the seminal mop top talent brigade are
on hand to praise their mentor and main industry support. But we also get
intimate glances as Martin's marriage to current wife Judy, his service in the
Royal Air Force during World War II, and his many charitable and music business
ventures.

Of course, The Beatles are part of the mix, but most of this material is
rote. In fact, any true fan of the foursome will know the stories by heart: how
Martin didn't like their demo, but loved their creative energy; how he hated
Pete Best; how Paul focused on melody while John obsessed over lyrics; the input
(or lack thereof) from George; and Ringo's lazy precision. We also learn about
the betrayal Martin felt during the Let It Be sessions (he would be
replaced by the "overproducer" Phil Specter), his reasons for building a studio
in Montserrat, and his collaboration with son Giles on the Cirque du Soleil
music mash-up Love. In between, artists Martin worked with -- from
McCartney and Starr to Rolf Harris and members of America -- sing his
well-deserved praises. But what makes Produced by...so special is the
insider information that fans may not be aware of. Martin started suffering from
a severe hearing loss during his heyday, something he struggled with as part of
his career. He also argues for his desire to be the next Rachmaninov, and his
love and joy of flying.

But there are gaps here, intentional omissions that work, if ever so
slightly, against this otherwise fascinating film's definitiveness. For example,
Martin was married before Judy. This relationship is never explored or even
mentioned. Similarly, he has four children, but only Giles appears on camera (he
acts as a kind of smarmy, ersatz interviewer for his good natured dad). The
Beatles' Anthology project is also avoided, as is his weird decision back
in 1998 to rerecord several Beatles songs with alternate vocal takes by the
likes of Robin Williams, Bobby McFarren, Celine Dion and...Jim Carrey? In fact,
there's so much material missing that an entire separate documentary could be
made about his involvement with the James Bond franchise, his efforts to
transform Elton John's "Candle in the Wind" into an inspirational ode to the
late Princess Diana, and his amazing memoir All You Need Is Ears.
Apparently, Produced by... wanted to take the safe route toward making
Martin, already an established music industry myth, into something even more
sainted. While the added dimensions wouldn't have destroyed said status,
including them would have created a much more rounded and realistic
portrayal.

From a technical standpoint, the Blu-ray from Eagle Rock Entertainment is
excellent. The BBC production sparkles in a 1.78:1/1080i presentation that is
colorful, detailed, and filled with depth. In many cases, you can see the subtle
shadings of the hair dye used by aging rock guitar god Jeff Beck, or the
wrinkles around Michael Palin's playful eyes (he is on hand to discuss the
impact of Martin's comedy records on Monty Python). Yes, this is still a TV
feature and suffers from some of the issues we expect from same (shoddy stock
footage, talking head framing), but the overall production is polished and very
smart. The same can't be said for the sound situation. The LPCM Stereo is good,
but not great, and when you are dealing with someone known for their sonic
output, average just doesn't cut it. At least the added content stacks up. We
get 52 minutes of additional material, including discussions with various
producers (T-Bone Burnett, Rick Rubin) influenced by Martin, as well as more on
his early days at Parlophone and more of his work with The Goons. It's grand
stuff all around.

While it's easy to criticize Produced by George Martin for its lack
of thoroughness, what's offered as part of the main feature and the bonus
materials more than makes up for it. He remains one of the most important and
influential figures of the 20th century. His legacy will outlast this nice, neat
overview.

The Verdict

Not Guilty. Could have used more meat before we got to all the pudding.